Zūm

Zūm is excited to share our new blog series, DRIVING AMERICA FORWARD. In it, we'll talk with parents, school administrators, drivers, bus partners and more, in order highlight stories of opportunity and innovation. Our first post is with our incredible partner Kimberly Raney, Director of Transportation at Oakland Unified School District. Kim has been dogged in her pursuit of improving transportation for the students of Oakland, and critical to our electrification of Oakland's bus fleet - the first fully electrified school bus fleet in the country. Find her inspiring interview on our blog, below - and join us we constantly innovate to drive America forward. https://lnkd.in/gwHMwS3b

Today, the Financial Times announced that Zūm has been named to its annual “The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies” list, a recognition that supports Zum’s position as the leader in modern student transportation. Zum ranks No. 28 on this year’s list of the top 300 companies and is the highest-ranking company in the Logistics & Transportation category. This is the third year in a row that Zum has been named to this prestigious list of innovative leaders across North, South, and Latin America. “Zum is leading a national movement to change the status quo in student transportation and transform how we apply critical technological innovation into the largest mass transit system in the country,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. “We are delighted to be named one of The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies by the Financial Times for the third year in a row, and to be included on a list of some of the most impressive companies across this Hemisphere.” Learn more about this recognition here:  https://lnkd.in/gk-fFdTw Statista #fastestgrowing #studenttransportation

In recognition of #WomensHistoryMonth, we’re celebrating the thousands of women nationwide who support Zūm’s mission to change the status quo in student transportation. From superintendents and drivers to parents and local leaders, we are fortunate to work alongside so many women who want to move the industry forward. Founder and CEO Ritu Narayan started Zum to solve the decades-long problem of ensuring safe, reliable student transportation for all children – including her own. We are grateful for the contributions of so many women across the country! Meet several women working to change the status quo in #studenttransportation: https://lnkd.in/gFTZN-su These incredible women include superintendents nationwide include: Dr. Jennifer Collier, Superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools; Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, Superintendent of Oakland Unified School District; Mary Skipper, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools; Dr. Verletta White, Ed.D. White, Superintendent of Roanoke City Public Schools; Dr. Adrienne Battle, Superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools; Dr. Millicent Borishade, Superintendent of Saint Louis Public Schools; Dr. Jennifer Murray, Superintendent of Reading School District l Reading, Pa.; and Dr. Maria Su, Superintendent of San Francisco Unified School District. As well many other remarkable leaders, such as: LISA GRANT-DAWSON, Chief Business Officer, Oakland Unified School District; Kimberly Raney, Executive Director of Transportation, Oakland Unified School District; Beverly Redmond, Chief of Staff, Seattle Public Schools; Laura Dudnick, Executive Director of Communications and External Affairs, San Francisco Unified School District; Jacqueline Hayes, Deputy Director of Transportation, Boston Public Schools; Marie Espinoza, Director of Transportation, San Bernardino City Unified School District Unified; Cindy Coleman, Chief Finance and Business Services Officer, Spokane Public Schools; and Bridget Blevins, APR, External Relations Administrator and Media Relations Lead, Omaha Public Schools; and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

Exciting news: Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD) has awarded a 5-year transportation contract to Zūm for safe, efficient and tech-enabled student transportation. PSUSD serves more than 20,000 students in 28 schools. Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, this partnership with Zum will enable the district to deliver superior service built around the needs of PSUSD students and families along with the teachers, administrators and drivers committed to creating the best educational experience for children. “Each day our school community works hard to provide a safe and supportive environment where students can learn and thrive,” said Dr. Tony Signoret, PSUSD Superintendent of Schools. “Through our partnership with Zum, families will experience state-of-the-art technology that will give them greater visibility into their child’s bus location and driver – and greater peace of mind. We were impressed by Zum’s customer service and share their mission to ensure every student has a safe, dependable ride to and from school.”   "Zum’s partnership with Palm Springs Unified School District signals a growing national movement for modern, safe and equitable student transportation,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. “We are excited by this new partnership and look forward to working with the PSUSD community." Learn more about this partnership here: https://lnkd.in/gzs7PF_G Additionally, Zum will be hosting school bus driver hiring events on Wednesday, April 2 and Thursday, April 3, 2025 at the Courtyard Marriott Palm Springs (1300 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. The company will be hiring over 75 certified school bus drivers, 8 van drivers (non-CDL), and 24 attendants/monitors. We are delighted to welcome Palm Springs USD as a school district partner!

We are excited to announce that Zūm has been honored on Fast Company’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025! The annual list recognizes companies that are moving the needle for business and culture. Zum ranks at No. 3 in the Sustainability category on this year’s list. “We are honored to be recognized on Fast Company’s prestigious list of Most Innovative Companies for our work in modernizing student transportation for families, drivers and schools across the country,” said Ritu Narayan, CEO and Founder of Zum. “Our innovations have transformed the safety, efficiency and equity of the school bus system, with the added benefit of improving grid reliability and resiliency using vehicle-to-grid technology to power the grid with electric school bus batteries. We’re grateful to our partners who share our commitment to reshaping the future of the industry.” “Our list of the Most Innovative Companies offers both a comprehensive look at innovation today and a playbook for the future,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “This year, we recognize companies that are harnessing AI in deep and meaningful ways, brands that are turning customers into superfans by overdelivering for them, and challengers that are introducing bold ideas and vital competition to their industries. At a time when the world is rapidly shifting, these companies are charting the way forward.” The complete list of Most Innovative Companies can be found at https://lnkd.in/ekxmwYzp. Learn more about this announcement and how Zum is modernizing student transportation for thousands of schools: https://lnkd.in/gHGmHXVF

Millard Public Schools has awarded a four-year transportation contract to Zūm. Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, this partnership will enable the Nebraska district to deliver superior service built around the needs of students and families along with the teachers, administrators and drivers committed to creating the best educational experience for children. “We are very excited for our partnership with Zum,” said Millard Superintendent Dr. John Schwartz. “Safety always comes first, and we also place a high priority on the service we provide for students and families. Zum offers several unique features that will improve both. Through our partnership, families will now be able to track their child’s ride. Additionally, the buses will be new, will include air conditioning, and will also be propane, which is the most reliable during the winter months.” "We are honored to partner with Millard Public Schools, a district that has been recognized for its academic excellence and engaged student population,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. “We are excited to launch this partnership in the 2025-26 school year and provide greater visibility and transparency to parents, students, drivers and schools.” Learn more about this partnership here:  https://lnkd.in/dGriVJaP

Zūm CEO and Founder Ritu Narayan has been named to Journey To Lead’s 2025-26 class of Fellows, recognizing her leadership and innovation in student transportation. Journey to Lead is a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the diversity and trajectory of women in leadership. Each year, the organization selects 25 Fellows who are proven innovators and “barrier breakers” with exceptional potential to impact the world. Narayan was nominated for the award by Julie Schlosser, Executive Director and Founding Partner at Journey to Lead. Schlosser, whose children travel to and from school each day via Zum school buses in Seattle, was so impressed with Zum’s transportation solution for Seattle Public Schools that she thought Narayan deserved recognition. “I am honored to be part of the new class of Journey to Lead Fellows in the company of such accomplished and inspiring leaders,” Narayan said. “I started Zum with a mission to change the status quo in student transportation, and I won’t stop until every child has access to safe, reliable and equitable rides to and from school each day. I look forward to connecting with this incredible community of women working to create a better world.” Congrats to Ritu on this achievement!

We are excited to announce that Saint Louis Public Schools [SLPS] has awarded a three-year transportation contract to Zūm. The decision signals the district's commitment to a safe, efficient, transparent and more equitable solution for students and families. SLPS serves more than 18,000 students in more than 60 schools. Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, this partnership with Zum will enable the district to deliver superior service built around the needs of SLPS students and families along with the teachers, administrators and drivers committed to creating the best educational experience for children. “Ensuring that our students arrive at school safely, on time, and ready to learn is a top priority for Saint Louis Public Schools,” said Dr. Millicent Borishade, Interim Superintendent of SLPS. “Through our partnership with Zum, we are embracing a transportation model that prioritizes safety, equity and innovation. This collaboration will provide families with greater visibility into their child’s ride to and from school while also improving operational efficiency for our district.” "We are delighted to partner with Saint Louis Public Schools, a district that shares Zum’s vision of a future where student transportation advances equity, accessibility and student-centered transportation solutions,“ said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. “We look forward to working with families in the SLPS community and encourage all those interested in driving, both experienced and new, for Zum to apply and attend our upcoming hiring events." We’re thrilled to welcome Saint Louis Public Schools as a school district partner! https://lnkd.in/gKK_brf5

In a new feature from Ulu Ventures, Zūm Founder and CEO Ritu Narayan talks about Zum’s rapid expansion and industry-leading technology platform. “Zum is using digitization and technology to bring peace of mind and transparency to school transportation for every parent and student,” Narayan says.“In addition, we’re changing the infrastructure, and making it cleaner and more sustainable for the communities we serve.” Narayan adds, “My dream is for every single school district to have Zum and have all 27 million students nationwide commuting on a safe, reliable and efficient transportation system.” Thanks to Rusty Dornin for the insightful interview, which you can watch here: https://lnkd.in/gd8W6RtK

Zūm is excited to share the latest Our Climate Journey interview, with our very own Jake Olafson: "To me, sustainability is about re-using what we have–and I mean everything." Read the full, inspiring interview on our blog! https://lnkd.in/gsp5u2AX